Hydrocarbons Flashcards
What is a hydrocarbon
Any compound formed form only hydrogen and carbon atoms
What type of bonds do alkanes have
They have a single carbon bond
What is an alkanes general formula
CnH2n+2
What does a homologous series mean
A group of organic compounds that react in a similar way
Why are alkanes saturated
Each carbon atom forms 4 single covalent bonds
What’s the order of the first 4 alkanes
Methane
Ethane
Propane
Butane
How do the properties of hydrocarbons change
As the length of the carbon chain changes
What’s a property of a shorter carbon chain
It’s more runny
Therefore less viscous
Is a hydrocarbon more volatile and more flammable when it has a short or long carbon chain
A short carbon chain
What does more volatile mean
And what does this mean in terms of hydrocarbons
It will turn into a gas at a lower temperature
So the shorter the carbon chain the Lower the temp in which the hydrocarbon vaporises or condenses
So it’s got a lower boiling point
When does complete combustion occur
When there is lots of oxygen
What does the complete combustion of a hydrocarbon in oxygen release
Lots of air
Waste products of carbon dioxide and water
What’s the chemical formula of complete combustion
Hydrocarbon + oxygen > co2 + water + energy
What happens to the carbon and hydrogen in combustion
The compounds are both oxidised
Define oxidation
The gaining of oxygen
What are hydrocarbons used for and why
For fuels, due to the amount of energy released when they combust completely
